Ironer



W. E. STlLWELL. JR

I RONER Filed Feb. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS May 2, 1939.

May 2, 1939.

w. E STILW'ELL. JR

' IRONER Filed Feb. 14, 1958 mam 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN\-ENTOR.

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M/1 1-6 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE momm a corporation ofOhio Application February 14, 1938, Serial No. 190,370

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to power driven ironing machines and isparticularly directed to a machine of the type employing a rotating rolland a heated ironing shoe adapted to be engagedwith the roll. Moreparticularly, the invention resides in a machine Which is portable.

The ironing machines manufactured heretofore, for use in the laundry ofthe home, have been relatively expensive and quite heavy. The weight andsize of these machines have confined their use to the basement of thehome, with the result that the housewife has found their useinconvenient and has preferred to use the conventional electric handiron. Particularly has this been the case when the family resides in anapartment. Accordingly, it has been the object of the present inventorto provide a machine of extremely low cost and one which is of theutmost simplicity. More'particularly it has been the object to provide amachine which is truly portable and can be carried about the apartmentor home by the housewife and placed on a bridge table. In other words,the power driven ironing machine of this invention is so constitutedthat it may be used around the house or apartment with substantially thesame facility as an electric hand iron.

The provision of this type of machine requires an improved arrangementof parts of light weight and compactness, which, at the same time,provides a working capacity and efficiency equal to that of largermachines. More specifically therefore, a machine has been provided whichin-= cludes a delivery or guide means in relation to the shoe and rollfor rapidly and emciently delivering the material being ironed from themachine and preventing bunching where large pieces of work, such assheets, are being ironed.

Bearing in mind the requirements as to size, weight, and compactness sothat the housewife can carry the machine about the house, it is apparentthat these requirements will of necessity limit the space beneath theroll. It is therefore important that efiicient means be provided fordischarging the ironed garment from the space beneath the roll onto thebridge table. The guide means employed, for directing the material fromthe shoe to the front of the machine, may have the added function, asdisclosed .hereln, of forcing the shoe away from the roll when the shoeis released. For this purpose, it consists of spring elements. i l

Also it has been the objectof the inventor to providea yieldablemounting for the shoe so that it will yield to unequal thicknesses ofwork and in order that uniform pressure is provided holding the workagainst the roll. In the fulfillment of this objective, the inventionresides in the provision of a resilient T-shaped lever, the head ofwhich is disposed parallel with the shoe and has its ends preferablyflexibly attached to the shoe. The lower end of the shank may besuitably attached to an actuating means. This arrangement permitsyieldable movement of the shoe in planes at right angles to each other.

This application has been divided and a copending case filed as tocertain features of the invention shown herein but not claimed. Thedivisional application was filed on March 2, 1939' and bears Serial No.259,396.

Other objects and certain advantages will be more fully apparent from adescription of the drawings forming a part of this specification, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a front view of the improved ironing machine.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the same.

Figure 3 is an end view of the ironer.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 41-6, Figure 1, showing theironer shoe against the roll in the position of use.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 6-6,Figure 4, detailing the shoe and roller structures and mountings.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line II-i, Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8, Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit of the ironer.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the base of the machine isindicated at it), the feeding roll generally at H, and the ironer shoeat B2. The feeding roll consists of an. open cylindrical drum it havinga padded periphery typical of such ironer rolls. In this instance, thepadding is. made up of a layer of fibrous material M, such as cotton orfelt fibers, and a cloth covering 65.

The roll is mounted and driven centrally of its length and is clear ofobstructions at the ends, so as to permit the operator to ironsuccessive widths of apiece, the total width of which may be greaterthan the width of the ironing element.

As shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, the roll is supported from one endonly. The support means consist of a cantilever bracket l6, having apedestal portion I! secured to the base of the machine. The upperportion l8 of the bracket the motor.

2 arsaoee extends horizontally and parallel with the base, and projectsinto the open end of the feeding roll. The inner extremity of thisprojected portion of the bracket includes a flange I 9, to which issecured the power unit 20.

The power unit consists of a motor 2| and a speed reducing unit 22. Themotor end of the power unit includes a fan 20a adapted to cool The driveshaft 23 of the power unit projects from the inner end thereof and isdisposed co-axially of the feeding roll. The power unit is attached tothe flange IQ of the bracket by means of bolts 24, and acts as anextension of the bracket. The unit is of small diameter and fits withinthe ,roll cylinder, with ample clearance remaining to permit rocking ofthe cylinder.

The drive and support of theroll cylinder is accomplished through themedium of a spider 25 attached within the cylinder and located in aposition centrally between the two ends of the cylinder and looselysecured on the drive shaft. Accordingly, the cylinder is supported onthe drive shaft in a balanced condition.

The spider 25 includes a peripheral rim 26, which is rigidly secured tothe inner periphery of the feed roll drum, A plurality of arms projectinwardly of thisrim and terminate in a hub 21, which is secured to thedrive shaft by means of a pin 28. It will be noted from a study ofFigure 6 that the bore 21a of the hub is slightly I larger than thediameter of the drive shaft 23. The purpose of this arrangement is toprovide a loose orrocking support for the cylinder, which will permityielding or rocking of the cylinder when unequal thicknesses of materialare passed through the machine.

The ironer shoe l2 comprises an arcuate ironing element 30, a heatingelement 3| and a cover plate 32. The shoe is arcuate and ofsubstantially the same radius as the roll and is mounted in cooperativerelationship therewith. The

shoe assembly is supported and mounted on a T-shaped support bracket 33adapted to swing the shoe assembly against the roll when the ironer isin operation.

'I'he 'T-shaped bracket consists of an upwardly extended shank member 34and includes a cross arm 35 at its upper end. The lower'end of thebracket is secured on a longitudinal rock shaft 36, which is actuated bymeans of an operating lever 31 projecting outwardly of the machine toone side of the roll. The operating lever 31 is removably pinned to therock shaft and the shaft itself is rotatably mounted on each end inbearing brackets 38.

The cross arm 35 includes a pair of spring sockets 39, one socket ateach end of said arm. Each socket provides a housing for a spring 0. thepurpose of which is to provide a resilient mounting for the ironer shoeassembly. Each of the resilient mountings is constructed in the following manner.

A stud 41 is secured to and projects from the ironer shoe and extendsaxially within the socket 39. The spring is under compression betweenthe ironer shoe and the outer wall 42 of the socket or receptacle 39.The assembly is held together by means of a nut 43, in screw-threadedengagement on the stud 4|. The tension of the spring may be adjusted bymeans of this nut. The stud 4| loosely traverses the spring socket 33 soas to permit angular movement of the shoe. The shoe, therefore, is freeto yield angularly, in any direction, and laterally, and the mountingmay be described as universally resilient. I

The resiliency of the mountings allows the shoe to be held against theroller under yielding spring pressure, to permit the shoe to be sprungroll or to the supporting spider and drive shaft. Any tendency in thisdirection is obviated by the freedom of the roll to deflect angularly.

The control lever 31 is secured on the longi-' tudinal rock shaft in ayoke 44. This yoke is pinned to the rock shaft and has a lateral'boss 5for mounting the control lever. The bore 46 of this yoke is oblong in ahorizontal plane to permit a slight amount of horizontal swing to beimparted to the control lever.

In other words, therecan be no angular thrusts transmitted to theSpecifically, the bore as r the yoke is of substantially the samediameter as the rock shaft 33, but in addition, the periphery of thebore includes angular-clearances 46a, on alternate sides, slantedinwardly from each opposite end. These clearances may be formed bydrilling or breach ing at an angle to the bore 46 of the yoke, and

they permit the yoke to be canted, as shown in Figure 8. The controllever is removably secured in the boss 45 by means of a pin 41, tofacilitate disassembling of the ironer.

The bracket |B includes along its inner edge a notch 48, which acts as alatch to hold the control lever in operative position. The outer end ofthe control lever includes a pad 43, adapted to be manipulated by thearm of the operator. In operating the ironing machine, the operatorcontactsthis pad with the elbow and readily moves it downwardly. Afterdownward motion, the lever is moved laterally, so as to latch the leverin the notch 43of the bracket. In this manner the operator has bothhands free, to guide and feed the clothing into the machine, and is freeto discontinue the engagement of the ironer shoe at any desired time.

Provision is made for controlling the drive of the roll coincidentallywith the movement of the shoe into engagement with the roll. Thismechanism is located to one side of the bracket and consists primarilyof an'electric switch 50. The switch is provided with a spring pressedbutton 5|, the outer end of which is adapted to be engaged and depressedwhen the control lever is moved laterally into the notch.

The button 5| projects outwardly into the path of movement of theoperating lever. The button is located in alignment with the notchedportion of the bracket, so that, when the operating lever is in runningposition, the button will be depressed. The switch is so constructedthat depression of this button closes the motor circuit.

Referring to Figure 9, illustrating the electric circuit, it willbe seenthat the switch is in electrical connection with the driving motor 2|.Therefore, when the operating lever is in running position, the motorwill be energized simultaneously with the engagement of the shoe and thedriving roll. Upon disengagement of the lever Disengagement of the shoeand the roller will occur when the lever is released.

A switch 52 is mounted on the front of the bracket l6. This switch isindependently connected with the heating element of the shoe to permitcontrol of the temperature of the shoe, independent of the operation ofthe motor. A thermostat may be connected in the circuit to control thetemperature of the ironer shoe, if this is desired.

In order to guide the finished work as it leaves the roll, a pair ofcurved guide elements, in the form of leaf springs 53, is provided.These guides are attached to the back of the ironer shoe. To this endthey are traversed by the studs ll and held against the shoe by means ofnuts 54. The guides are disposed, in an arc, downwardly from the shoeand curve outwardly and downwardly to the forward portion of the base.

The finished work, as it leaves the roll, drops downwardly and comesinto contact with the guides and is carried forwardly by the force ofgravity. The curvature of the guides is quite gradual, so that the workis not folded or wrinkled as it moves forwardly between the roll and thebase member.

The guide members have the additional function of urging the shoe awayfrom the roller. As previously mentioned, these guides are formed ofleaf springs. The spring members are rigidly secured on the arm and havetheir lower free ends engaged against thebase member under compression.A pair of contact blocks 55 is secured on the base member, upon whichthe ends of the spring bear. Thus, the shoe is constantly urged awayfrom the roll, and the working engagement of the shoe is dependent upondownward actuation of the control lever.

Since the lever normally is locked in; downward position in the notch,the shoe may be readily disengaged from the roll by the dislodging ofthe lever from the notch. The leaf spring guides, thereupon, will urgethe shoe away from the roll. Thus movement of the roll is limited by thewedging engagement of the lever 31 with the curved inner edge of thebracket it above the notch 48. The wedging action occurs when the yoke44 reaches its limit of horizontal pivotal movement with respect to therock shaft 36 therewith, having taken up the clearances provided forswinging the control lever. The machine is provided with a stop member51 to limit the rearward movement of the shoe assembly when the controllever is removed for storage or s pping.

In operation with the control lever engaged in the notch, the shoe isengaged against the roll under a predetermined pressure which isvirtually constant, irrespective of the relatively minor variations inthe thickness of the material being ironed. This condition is assured bythe spring action of the resilient connection between the T-shapedbracket 33 and the shoe.

The angular freedom afforded the shoe is effective for permittingrelative, angular motion between the roll and the shoe as the work isfed therebetween. The forward, leading edge of the shoe is flaredoutwardly as at 56, to facilitate entry of the edge of the material asit is started under the ironer shoe. As the leading edge of the work ispresented to the roll, a slight angular tilting of the shoe will occur,especially if the work is of considerable thickness, as, for example, ablanket. As the feed progresses, the shoe 7 will return to normalposition, so that there is uniform ironing pressure throughout theentire operation.

In the event that the work is of greater thickness on one side than theother, the feed roll will tilt angularly to a slight degree from itshorizontal alignment. This movement is permitted, as previouslydescribed, by the loose, centralized drive mounting. In this manner,uniform ironing pressure is assured across the entire length of the rolland shoe.

Briefly, the angular and lateral resiliency of the shoe mounting, inaddition to the balanced, loose central mounting of the roller, providesa structure which will accommodate any reasonable variation in thethickness of the material being ironed. This condition provides auniform ironing pressure across the entire length of the shoe andensures against variations in pressure throughout the length of thepiece being ironed.

The utility of the machine is greatly increased by the cantileverbracket employed in mounting and driving the roll. The usual cross shaftand driving members and brackets are completely dispensed with, and oneend of the roll is left entirely clear of obstruction. The diflicultyusually encountered in handling'large pieces of work is greatly reducedby the present, improved structure. Moreover, since the drivingmechanism is entirely enclosed within the roll, the danger of soilingthe work with oil and grease from the driving and supporting apparatusis eliminated.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an ironer, a base, a roll, means for supporting said roll forrotation relative to said base, means for driving said roll, an arcuateshoe mounted for movement toward and from the roll, a rock shaft, alever for rocking said shaft, a resilient 'T-shaped bracket securingsaid shoe to said shaft, the lower end of the shank of said T-shapedbracket being operatively connected to the'shaft, and means foryieldably attaching the ends of the head of the T-shapedbracket to saidshoe. 1

2. In an ironing machine, a roll, an ironing shoe, a rock shaft, a basefor supporting said rock shaft and said roll, a lever for rocking saidshaft, a shoe supporting bracket operatively connected to said rockshaft, said bracket including an arm extending longitudinally of theshoe, flexible connections between the ends of said am and said shoe,and leaf spring elements engaged against the base beneath the roll andin connection with said shoe for urging the shoe away from the roll andguiding the ironed material beneath and forwardly of the roll.

3. A table-type ironer, comprising, a base, a power driven rollrotatably supported on said base, an ironer shoe disposed adjacent saidroll, a rock shaft supporting said shoe for movement toward and from theroll, and leaf springs fixed to the shoe, said springs being of curvedform and extending into the plane of and contact with the base wherebythe springs are effective for moving the shoe out of engagement with theroll and for guiding the ironed material from beneath the roll.

4. An ironer comprising a base, a roll, means for supporting said rollin parallelism with said base, means for driving said roll, an ironingshoe being movable toward and from said roll, and guiding means for thematerial being ironed, said guiding means having an uninterrupteddescent from the region of the lower edge of the shoe to the front ofthe roll and terminatingsubstantially in a horizontal plane whereby thematerials springs of curved form extending between the shoe and thebase, and tending to urge the shoe out of engagement with the roll andalso serving as guides to direct the ironed material from beneath theroll toward the front of the base.

6. In combination with an ironing roll, a shoe, a bracket, means foroperating the bracket to move the shoe relative to the roll, meansconnecting the shoe with the bracket, and guide means for directing thegoods as it leaves the shoe, said guiding means being attached to theshoe by the same means which connects the shoe with the bracket,substantially as described.

71in an ironer, a base, a rotatable roll mounted on said base, a shoemounted for movement toward and from said roll, a resilient T-shapedbracket supporting said shoe, the lower end of the shank of i saidbracket being mounted for rocking movement and the head of the bracketbeing disposed parallel with the back of the shoe, the ends of said headbeing attached to the shoe, whereby the shoe is yieldably mounted.

a mu: 2 EARLE S'I'ILWELL, JR.

